1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an animal trap, such as a mouse or rat trap, which is sanitarily disposable without touching the bait or captured rodent and is not susceptible to tripping by or injury to children, cats, dogs and the like. The animal trap of this invention is a closed container having a resilient trap door secured to an inside surface of the side wall of the container and conforming to the inside surface of the side wall such that, in a closed position, it completely covers the entrance hole through which the animal to be trapped enters the container. Means for preventing the animal from opening the trap door from within the container are also provided.
2. Description of Prior Art
Widely used rodent traps having dangerously exposed spring action mechanisms are well known. Disadvantages of these traps include their danger to children, cats and dogs, as well as their unsightly, insanitary, and generally unpleasant appearance, especially when occupied. Various attempts have been made to provide enclosed animal traps which overcome the above disadvantages and, in some cases, to provide a closed container for sanitary disposal.
Such an animal trap is disclosed by my own U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,766 which teaches an animal trap in the form of a closed container having a door opening and a mating inwardly opening door hingedly mounted to the side wall of the container with a bias spring urging the door to a normally closed position to provide a closed trap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,336 teaches a disposable animal trap in the form of a thin-walled closed container of resilient plastic having a door flap formed in the surrounding wall by slits with a portion of the wall adjacent the wall being integrally attached to the door flaps so that the resiliency of the plastic allows the door to be bent inwardly to an animal admitting condition but which is normally biased to a closed condition in which it is flush with the surrounding wall. This patent further teaches that the slits can be formed in a molding process or can be cut after the enclosure is removed from a mold. This patent also teaches various shapes of such trap door.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,376 teaches an enclosed insect trap having a lightweight base and a lightweight cover formed of a flexible sheet material. The cover is affixed along portions of the base's continuous edge and includes flap portions folded between the cover and base. The cover is affixed to the base such that the fold between each flap portion and the cover is arched upwardly away from the base to create a downward biasing force on each flap portion. This biasing force returns the flap portion into contact with the base once an insect has lifted the flap to enter the trap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,883 teaches a mouse trap in the form of a closed container having a hinged door which is spring loaded to maintain the door in a closed position. Magnetic or spring means are provided for holding the door in the closed position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,271 teaches a grated trap door which is attachable to a receptacle, such as a glass jar, which operates in a vertical direction, pivoting between the open and closed positions. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,936 teaches a disposable trap for animals such as mice having a cap assembly which is adapted to fit over one end of a receptacle, such as a beverage can. The cap assembly includes a flanged end plate having an entrance opening in a lower portion thereof and an opening cover. The opening cover has a lower portion which covers the opening in the end plate and overlaps the end plate around the opening to form a one-way door. A narrow elongate upper portion functions as a leaf spring to urge the lower portion to cover the end plate opening after the animal has entered the trap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,382 teaches an animal trap in the form of a cage having a weight activated mechanism for trapping the animal within the cage.